1439

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased (apnews.com)

submitted 11 months ago by CantSt0pPoppin@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

102 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Twitter is threatening legal action against the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit that researches hate speech and content moderation on social media platforms.

The letter from Twitter's lawyers alleges that CCDH's research publications are intended to 'harm Twitter's business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.'

This is a pretty bold move from Twitter, especially considering that CCDH is a well-respected organization that has been doing this kind of research for years. And it's especially ironic coming from Elon Musk, who has said that he's a 'free speech absolutist.'

But Musk has also shown that he's sensitive to criticism, so it's not surprising that he's taking this kind of action against CCDH

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] Encode1307@lemm.ee 111 points 11 months ago

The response from CCDH is savage -

https://counterhate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Letter-to-A.-Spiro-from-R.-Kaplan-re-CCDH.pdf

[-] crapwittyname@lemm.ee 106 points 11 months ago

I love it. The gist is:

hate speech is running rampant on your platform.
you're doing nothing to stop it.
here's our evidence.
where's your e idence?
why are you spending time and money on fighting us instead of on fighting the literal white supremacist death threats on your platform?
telling us we've not sampled enough tweets while you're in the process of making impossible the mass sampling of tweets is...a bit rich.
we're not intimidated by your threats
your threats are also bullshit
we're not gonna stop

It's a textbook example of "no u" in grown up language. Bravo.

[-] Mrs_deWinter@feddit.de 62 points 11 months ago

Not to mention how it starts with

"We write in response to the ridiculous letter you sent our clients on behalf of X Corp."

They are not taking any BS. I love it.

[-] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 15 points 11 months ago

Legal snark is by far the most expensive brand of humor, but when it's deployed on your behalf it's so goddamn satisfying.

During a hearing in my divorce, I answered a question from the judge, the other lawyer says "we can't have hearsay in this discussion", my lawyer responds "well this will be a short hearing then because everything in your client's motion is hearsay".

That little snap cost me about $15 but it was worth it.

[-] perviouslyiner@lemm.ee 7 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Legal snark is by far the most expensive brand of humor

I trust that you've read this one?

[-] hobbes@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

Bad link

[-] perviouslyiner@lemm.ee 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

It's direct to a PDF (maybe shows in 'downloaded documents' for Android, or download menu in Connect?) but for anyone on a device that doesn't like PDFs, the link was The Onion's amicus filed with the US Supreme Court (summarised in newspapers)

[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 84 points 11 months ago

The best part of it:

If your clients do file suit, please be advised that CCDH intends to seek immediate discovery regarding hate speech and misinformation on the Twitter platform; Twitter’s policies and practices relating to these issues; and Twitter’s advertising revenue. In that event, a court will determine for itself the truth of the statements in our client’s report in accordance with the time-tested rules of civil procedure and evidence.

Now that is a nuclear statement in a lawyers letter...

[-] Dima@lemmy.one 48 points 11 months ago

I love that this is a legal letter and yet contains the very direct phrase:

That threat is bogus and you know it.

[-] DeadNinja@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

Savage indeed !!

this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2023

1439 points (99.9% liked)

Technology

55692 readers

4852 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

Follow the lemmy.world rules.
Only tech related content.
Be excellent to each another!
Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
Politics threads may be removed.
No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS